Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels for pasty substances



Nov. 21, 1961 H. BECKER 3,009,649

APPARATUS FOR EMPTYING AND FLUSHING VESSEJLS FOR PASTY SUBSTANCES Filed Dec. 30, 1959 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 .FQzjq o v v v :3

IN VE/V TOR Heinz Becker" ATTY6.

9 4 6 9 0 0 3 G N m S WE C H N m W5 R EG S Kmfl P BM P H% W m E S S ME V P P. A 1 6 9 11 a 1 2 V N 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30, 1959 INVENTOR #E/NZ BECKER,

ATTORNEYS Nov. 21, 1961 H. BECKER APPARATUS FOR EMPTYING AND FLUSHING VESSELS FOR PASTY SUBSTANCES 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 50, 1959 INVEN Heinz Becker- AT Yi Nov. 21, 1961 H. BECKER 3,009,649

' APPARATUS FOR EMPTYING AND FLUSHING VESSELS FOR PASTY SUBSTANCES Filed Dec. 30, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR //E//vz BIL-mesa 14 BY y im ATTORNEYS Nov. 21, 1961 H. BECKER 3,009,649

APPARATUS FOR EMPTYING AND FLUSHING VESSELS FOR PASTY SUBSTANCES Filed Dec. 30, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOP Heinz Becker ATT Y5.

Nov. 21, 1961 H. BECKER 3,009,649

APPARATUS FOR EMPTYING AND FLUSHING VESSELS FOR PASTY SUBSTANCES Filed Dec. 50, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN VE N TOP Heinz, Becker ATT Y5.

Nov. 21, 1961 H. BECKER 3,009,649

APPARATUS FOR EMPTYING AND FLUSHING VESSELS FOR PASTY SUBSTANCES 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Dec. 30, 1959 INVENTOR He'm z. Becker ATT Y5.

United States Patent 3,009,649 APPARATUS FOR EMPTYIN G AND FLUSHING VESSELS FOR PASTY SUBSTANCES Heinz Becker, 122 Ostalle, Senne II, near Bielefeld, Germany Filed Dec. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 862,835 Claims priority, application Germany Jan. 3, 1959 14 Claims. (Cl. 239-225) This invention relates to an apparatus for emptying vessels, for example tubs, which contain pasty substances such as, for example, cellulose or the like, or for flushing or diluting the substances contained in the vessels.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels containing pasty substances which has a high performance but light weight and which is also characterized by its simple construction.

The invention provides an apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels for pasty substances, especially cellulose, which comprises a hollow shaft passing through the vessel as a flushing pipe, a ring of nozzles on said flushing pipe, a pressure chamber for feeding a flushing liquid, a gearing for rotating the flushing pipe, and a servomotor arranged in a chamber and operable by a pressure medium for raising and lowering the flushing pipe constructed at its free end as a valve, said pressure chamber for the flushing liquid and the chamber containing the servomotor being adjacent each other and said gearing for rotating the flushing pipe being arranged on a shaft operable by the servomotor.

The gearing for rotating the flushing pipe is preferably arranged at the outer end of the shaft moving the flushing pipe.

In a practical form of construction the pressure chamher for the flushing liquid and the servomotor are arranged in a common sealed housing part. The servomotor is preferably constructed as a piston guided in a cylinder and on which the pressure medium acts and which forms a part of the shaft moving the flushing pipe. To produce perfect pressure conditions in the pressure chamber for the liquid on the one hand and in the cylinder chamber for the piston on the other hand, it may be particularly advantageous to separate the cylinder cham ber for the piston from the pressure chamber for the flushing liquid by a partition wall through which the piston rod is guided, a simple packing being provided if necessary.

The torque required for moving the flushing pipe is preferably produced by means of a worm gear or a double worm gear in particular, which is characterized by low total height and great reduction ratio. The hub of the worm gear through which the free end of the piston rod passes as a shaft for the movement of the flushing pipe, is provided with splines which engage corresponding splines on the piston rod. By this construction the raising and lowering of the piston rod is ensured in a perfact manner.

Several preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1a' is a side elevational view of an apparatus according to the invention with top drive, servomotor and pressure chamber;

FIG. 1b is a top plan view thereof, on a reduced scale;

FIG. 10 is a section and top plan view on the line AB of FIG. 4;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the same form of construction as that illustrated in FIG. 1a with flushing pipe passing through a vessel;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through the gear, the servomotor and the pressure chamber;

ice

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section through the flushing pipe with ring of nozzles and valve;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a suspended apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section through a suspended apparatus for a stationary cellulose digester, and

FIG. 7 is a side elevation, partly in longitudinal section, through a suspended apparatus according to the invention but of modified construction, for emptying and flushing stationary cellulose digesters, diffusers or vats.

A tub 10 made from wood or the like, serves for holding a viscous liquid or paste, such as a cellulose pulp, which is guided laterally into the tub by a feed pipe 11 and out of the tub 10 by a discharge pipe 12 at the bottom thereof after the flushing operation has been carried out.

The tub 10 has a bottom wall 18 and is closed by an upper wall 13 and a pipe 14 extends vertically down-" wards through said upper wall 13 of the tub 10. The flushing liquid is conducted by this pipe 14 to a ring of nozzles 15. These nozzles spray the liquid into the lower portion of the pulp charge while the pipe;14 rotates. Below the ring of nozzles 15 the pipe 14 has a conical valve plate 16 which, for shutting off the interior of the tub 10 from the discharge pipe 12, is arranged in -a valve ring 17 in the bottom wall 18 of the tub.

The flushing pipe 14 can rotate in a bearing 19 (FIG.

3) accommodated in a housing 20 which rests in the upper wall 13 of the tub. This housing 20, open at the 1 top, together with the bearing 19, is flanged on to an upper housing part 21 which has a lower pressure chamber 22 for feeding the flushing liquid into the flushing pipe 14 and a cylinder chamber 23 above this containing a piston 24.

The upper housing part 21 has at the height of its flange connection with the bearing housing 20 a partition wall 25 in which the flushing pipe 14 passing through is surrounded by an absolutely tight stufling box 26. The

flushing liquid entering through an inlet pipe 27 under pressure, for example 6 atmospheres, enters the flushing pipe 14 through, for example, circular holes 28.

To the flushing pipe 14, closed at the top, a piston rod 29 serving as a shaft is flanged which passes upwards through a simple packing in a rigid or elastic partition; wall 30 and carries the piston 24 in the cylinder chamber 23. I v

An upper pressure medium conduit 31 and a lower pressure medium conduit 32 are connected to the cylinder chamber 23. The pressure medium (control medium) such as oil or water, flowing through the conduits 31 and; 32 acts alternately on the piston 24. When the medium acts from below, the piston 24 lifts the piston rod 29,'

constructed as a shaft, with the flushing pi'pe 1 as a result the valve plate 16 is lifted off the. valve r-ing fl17 and'the outlet valve is opened so that the loosened, flushed and diluted pulp can flow off. If the pressure medium flows through the conduit 31, it presses the piston 24, its piston rod 29 and consequently the flushing pipe 14 downwards. The shut-off valve in the bottom wall of the vessel is closed.

A gear case 34 is arranged above the housing part 21, being closed at the top and is supported by an open intermediate frame 33 engaged with the top of the cylinder chamber 23. The free end of the piston rod 29 projects into this gear case 34 and is provided with splines which engage in corresponding splines in the hub of a gear wheel I 35. This gear wheel 35 forms a part of the double worm Patented Nov. 21, 19 61 is also a suspended apparatus, similar to the construction employed in the case of the above-described diffusers. In cellulose digesters a slightly modified packing cone I5 is used so as to prevent the charge from penetrating into the flushing device during the boiling operations. The hollow shaft 14' is not rigidly connected with the valve cone 15' which carries the spraying nozzles 15a but is slidable in telescope fashion within the valve cone neck.

FIG. 7 shows a modified form of construction of an apparatus for emptying and flushing in state of suspension, such as can be used, for example, for stationary cellulose digesters, diffusers, washing vats or other vessels in which pasty substances are treated.

The construction illustrated in FIG. 7 corresponds substantially to the construction described with reference to FIG. 6. The difference consists in that the construction, while retaining the same arrangement according to the invention, is shortened in particularly advantageous manner in that a pressure chamber 40 is arranged inside an elbow 41. This elbow serves as a discharge for the pasty substance treated in the vessel and is connected to a flange 42 on a discharge pipe 43 below the outlet of vessel 44 or to a flange 42a of an insertion piece 42b belonging to the apparatus. The pressure chamber 40 is formed in this form of construction by three walls, namely an upper horizontal wall 40a, 2. side wall 40b and a wall 40c of the elbow part. In the walls 40:: and 40b a packing 40d is provided which seals a flushing pipe 45 inside the pressure chamber from the space of the elbow. The valve 45 is shown at the upper end of the pipe 45 and has associated therewith the nozzles 45.

Below the pressure chamber a cylinder chamber 46 of a. servomotor is arranged to which the pressure liquid is fed from outside. A gear 47, which is constructed and functionally mounted in the same manner as in the constructions shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, is connected to this cylinder chamber 46 lower down.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

l. Appratus for emptying and flushing vessels for pasty substances, especially cellulose, comprising a hollow shaft passing through the vessel as a flushing pipe, a ring of nozzles on said flushing pipe, a pressure chamber for feeding a flushing liquid, a gearing for rotating the flushing pipe, and a servomotor arranged in a chamber and operable by a pressure medium for raising. and lowering the flushing pipe constructed at its free end as a valve, said pressure chamber for the flushing liquid and the chamber containing the servomotor being adjacent each other and said gearing for rotating the flushing pipe being arranged on a shaft operable by the servomotor.

2. Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gearing is arranged at the free end of the shaft.

3. Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure chamber for the flushing liquid and the servomotor chamber are arranged in a common housing part sealed off from the outside.

4. Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the servomotor is constructed as a piston guided in a cylinder.

5. Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels, as claimed in claim 4, wherein the piston has a piston rod forming a part of the shaft moving the flushing pipe.

6. Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels, as claimed in claim 4, wherein the chamber of the cylinder for the piston is separated from the pressure chamber for the flushing liquid.

7. Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gearing arranged on the outer end of the shaft for rotating the shaft is constructed as worm drive.

8. Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portion of the shaft within the gearing is splined in star-shape and engages the hub of the gearing provided with corresponding splines.

9. Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a housing containing the pressure chamber for the liquid and that containing the servomotor are connected with a housing part containing a neighboring bearing for the flushing pipe by means of a flange.

10. Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is of suspended construction and arranged underneath a tub.

11. Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels, as claimed in claim 10, wherein the apparatus is of suspended construction and arranged underneath a difiuser.

12. Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is of suspended construction, the shaft carries a ring of nozzles and has on its extremity a valve plate, and an elbow is arranged between the servomotor and the ring of nozzles and the valve plate.

13. Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is of suspended construction and the pressure, chamber for feeding the flushing liquid is arranged above the servomotor.

14. Apparatus for emptying and flushing vessels, as claimed in claim 12, wherein the pressure chamber for feeding the flushing liquid is located within the elbow which is connected to the discharge pipe.

No references cited. 

